Four points over Easter weekend keep Slyne in title race

The West Lancashire Football League Premier Division appears to be going right down to the wire, and Slyne-with-Hest are in the thick of it still after picking up four points over the Easter period.

On Saturday, the Slugs travelled to Turton and ran out 3-0 winners thanks to two first half goals from Zach Clark and then one from Reece Pearce in the 77th minute.

Then, on Easter Monday, second place Slyne took on third place and fellow-title challengers Thornton Cleveleys, with the two sides sharing the spoils after a very closely fought game.

Thornton had a great chance in the opening minutes but the Slyne keeper kept the striker out at close range before Garry Hunter put a shot wide from close range after a lovely through ball by Clark.

The visitors opened the scoring in the 28th minute after Slyne had initially been on the attack.

Danny Dixon had a shot blocked in the Thornton area and they quickly countered down the left – they managed to get a shot away once they reached the Slyne box but despite the effort being blocked, it was deflected into the path of Danny Hadgraft who slotted it home in the 28th minute.

Slyne were not out of it though and Clark had a great chance to level things up but he fired his effort over the bar from 10 yards out.

Slyne came out flying in the second half and started to put Thornton Cleveleys under some intense pressure, and it paid off in the 65th minute when Dixon fired in a stunning shot from outside the penalty to equalise with 25 minutes still to play.

There was still time for Clark to have one more real chance just inside the area late on but the keeper got down well to his left to deny the Slyne man, and the two teams had to settle for a point each.

Fulwood Amateurs stay top of the league, three points clear of Slyne, who have a game in hand, with Thornton sitting in third.